THE QUOIT PITS

FINALLY! The Cornwall Quentin Quoit Club now has a place to pitch quoits indoors over the winter months! Something that many other quoit pitching groups have long dreamed to have, the CQQC is enjoying now as an exciting reality. In the Fall of 2005, Club members constructed "portable" quoit pits from 2x4 lumber with plywood bottoms, mounted short hobs with welded metal plates to the center of the plywood, and filled each of the boxes with almost 300 pounds of soft clay. Using a hand truck and a lot of muscle from multiple members, these boxes are then setup on the concrete floor of a large heated garage so that the distance between the hobs is a regulation 21 feet apart.

In addition to the pits, small, three-piece wood decks were constructed from additional 2x4 and plywood lumber, and then covered with pieces of cut-pile carpeting. These carpeted decks are placed around each pit, one on each side of the box and one to the rear, creating a solid, sturdy platform that is level with the top of the pits. The platform allows players to easily pitch from either side of the box or from behind the hob, at the correct pitching height with respect to the pits. This arrangement works perfectly, and feels exactly the same as pitching outside during the regular season. The only difference is the fact that there is a complete absence of any wind. rain, or bugs to bother the players as they pitch!

After the weekly evening pitch is over, the boxes and the decking are packed up and stored out of the way so the garage may be used for regular business during the rest of the week. Below are a few photos of the Club's evening pitch of December 28, 2005. Six members played 4 mini tournaments of 3 games each against randomly drawn 2-man teams.

Mark Snoberger wheels one of the clay boxes into position, and with the help of two other people, positions the 300 pound box to chalk marks laid out on the garage floor for proper spacing.

A fully assembled pit showing the three carpeted wood deck pieces in place around the rear portions of the pit. Pitching positions are from the front edge of either side deck or from directly behind the hob.

Walt Brubaker uses an asphalt tamper to level

the clay before the first pitch begins.

The reigning 2005 World Quoit Champions are

seen here pitching against one another. Ben Bernard

pitches toe-to-hob as Mark Snoberger waits his turn.

Walt pitches while Bob Seltzer steps up to the platform. The White spots in these photos are reflections from camera flash.

Mike Weaber aims for a ringer. The snow plow helps provide a backstop for any quoits that bounce off the hob or other quoits.

Club rules at the CQQC state that when two opposing quoits are against the hob, the quoit touching the higher part of the hob wins the point. This is referred to as getting "High Steel." Here, Gold pitched first, tight against the hob. Red then pitched High Steel on top of Gold. Gold hit Red attempting to knock Red loose from the hob, but failed to move it. Red then pitched another High Steel on the opposite side, resulting in 2 points total for red!

Wow, three quoits tight against the hob - talk about

some really tough scoring opportunities!

Here, Troy Frey pitched a fine example of a Double Ringer. Red was just short of topping Gold's first ringer, and Gold then laid down the second Ringer for a total of 6 points. Troy went on to pitch a total of ten ringers for the night. Another example of a tight grouping at the hob!

Mark Snoberger appears to toss his Quoit quite effortlessly...

...While Bobby Seltzer puts a lot more "Oomph" into his throw.

A quoit is caught in mid-air before it drops into the pit.

Red scores three points on this ringer moments before the camera flashed.

Mark tosses one across the 21-foot gap toward the pile-up

already gathered tightly around the hob

Walt Brubaker warms his "Quoits" next to the coal stove in the corner of the garage. A big bag of fried chicken pieces is warming on top of the stove, ready for all to eat

during the next break.